I used to have a Porsche 911SC. Miles better than the 924 I had before. (The 924 gets no respect; but it handled quite well.) Just now I was watching Top Gear and they praised the Boxster, saying ‘It’s what the 911 was before it turned into Liberace’s boudoir.’ I sold my 911SC when I didn’t have to, and now I have other responsibilities and would be hard-pressed to replace it. I’ve only casually followed developments of the 911 series, but they styling seemed to go downhill starting with the 997 series and its Boxster headlights. Porsche also went against tradition by switching to a liquid-cooled engine. The 997 and 991 look nice, but I think they’re just a bit too far from the iconic 1964 to 1997 shape. Since I’m not in the market for another car, it doesn’t really matter; but I’m mildly curious to know what people think is the best model of the series.
1964 to 1968 was the original style. There were engine and trim options, and one could choose a coupé or a Targa (removable top, with glass or removable rear window). In 1969 the wheelbase was lengthened because the ones with shorter wheelbases could swap ends when driven aggressively. In 1974 the 911 got a 2.7 l engine and big bumpers (to comply with U.S. laws). 1978 saw the introduction of the 911SC, which had nicely-flared rear fenders and a 3.0 l engine. In 1984 the 911SC became the 911 Carrera, and now sported a 3.2 l engine. That one lasted a decade, before the 993 came out in 1994.
The 993 retained the classic look, but the bumpers were better integrated into the design. It also had outrageously wide rear fenders. I remember thinking at the time that they were just too wide. The front fenders were reshaped, and no longer stood up proudly like the ones that came before; but they were attractively done.
Then came the 996. As I mentioned, the 996 got the Boxster headlights. Parts commonality is a way for carmakers to save money, and it’s a way to tie different models together. I just didn’t like that Porsche’s flagship car now had the headlights from their entry-level model. To me, it just looked ‘wrong’. But this was a new body. Previous models were all based on the original 1963 one. So the new front-end treatment is to be expected. The other major thing Porsche did was to replace the air-cooled engine with a liquid-cooled one. I read at the time that this was mechanically the best engine Porsche ever made. I may not like the form as much as I liked the earlier models, but the function seemed to be superior.
The 997 resembled the 996, but it reverted to the ‘bug eye’ headlight treatment that I like.
The 991, introduced in 2012, seems longer and sleeker than a 911 should be. It’s still identifiably a 911, but it strikes me more as a status machine than a serious sports car. Not that it isn’t a serious sports car; it just seems too ‘refined’ to me. On the plus side, how can you not like a 400 hp engine and seven gears? 
OK, let’s set some limits…
In 50 years of production there have been coupés and Targas and convertibles. There have been different engine options in given years. There are turbos and non-turbos, and RWD and AWD. There have been models specifically produced for racing. I’d like to simplify things by excluding race cars like the GT1, 911S vs. 911RS, and turbocharging options. What I’m curious about is which general model people think is the best of the series. That is, original 911 (1964 year-model to 1968), the lengthened ones (1969 to 1973), the big-bumper ones (1974 to 1977), the 911SC that had the flared rear fenders as standard, the 1984-1993 Carrera with its larger engine, the 993, the 996, or the 991. I’m asking about the model and not the sub-models within those models.
Go.
